Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of September 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017 have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Item 210 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 is derived from the audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. The Company believes that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information not misleading. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation for the periods presented have been included as required by Regulation S-X, Rule 10-01. Operating results for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2018. It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Principles Of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries after elimination of all significant intercompany transactions and balances.

Use Of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP which require management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates include reserve quantities and estimated future cash flows associated with proved reserves, which significantly impact depletion expense and potential impairments of oil and natural gas properties, income taxes and the valuation of deferred tax assets, stock-based compensation and commitments and contingencies. We analyze our estimates based on historical experience and various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable. While we believe that our estimates and assumptions used in preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements are appropriate, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The Company identifies the contracts with each of its customers and the separate performance obligations associated with each of these contracts. Revenues are recognized when the performance obligations are satisfied and when it transfers control of goods or services to customers at an amount that reflects the consideration to which it expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.

Crude oil is sold on a month-to-month contract at a price based on an index price from the purchaser, net of differentials. Crude oil that is produced is stored in storage tanks. The Company will contact the purchaser and request them to pick up the crude oil from the storage tanks. When the purchaser picks up the crude from the storage tanks, control of the crude transfers to the purchaser, the Company’s contractual obligation is satisfied, and revenues are recognized. The sales of oil represent the Company’s share of revenues net of royalties and excluding revenue interests owned by others. When selling oil on behalf of royalty owners or working interest owners, the Company is acting as an agent and thus reports revenues on a net basis. Fees and other deductions incurred prior to transfer of control are recorded as production costs. Revenues are reported net of fees and other deductions incurred after transfer of control.

Electricity from the Company’s methane facility was sold on a long term contract. There were no specific volumes of electricity that were required to be delivered under this contract. Electricity passed through sales meters located at the Carter Valley landfill site, at which time control of the electricity transferred to the purchaser, the Company’s contractual obligation was satisfied, and revenues were recognized. The Company sold its methane facility and generation assets on January 26, 2018 and therefore will not recognize revenues associated with any sales volumes after that date. Revenues associated with the methane facility are included in Discontinued Operations. (See Note 11. Discontinued Operations)

The Company operates certain salt water disposal wells, some of which accept water from third parties. The contracts with the third parties primarily require a flat monthly fee for the third parties to dispose water into the wells. In some cases, the contract is based on a per barrel charge to dispose water into the wells. There is no requirement under the contracts for these third parties to use these wells for their water disposal. If the third parties do dispose water into the Company operated wells in a given month, the Company has met its contractual obligations and revenues are recognized for that month.

The following table presents the disaggregated revenue by commodity for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017 (in thousands):



	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2018	September 30, 2017	September 30, 2018	September 30, 2017
Revenues (in thousands):
Crude oil	$1,647	$1,028	$4,472	$3,360
Salt water disposal fees	7	7	25	23

Total	$1,654	$1,035	$4,497	$3,383

There were no natural gas imbalances at September 30, 2018 or December 31, 2017.

Cash And Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include temporary cash investments with a maturity of ninety days or less at date of purchase.

Inventory

Inventory consists of crude oil in tanks and is carried at lower of cost or market value. The cost component of the oil inventory is calculated using the average cost per barrel for the three months ended September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017. These costs includes production costs and taxes, allocated general and administrative costs, depletion, and allocated interest cost. The market value component is calculated using the average September 2018 and December 2017 oil sales prices received from the Company’s Kansas properties. In addition, the Company also carried equipment and materials to be used in its Kansas operation and is carried at the lower of cost or market value. The cost component of the equipment and materials inventory represents the original cost paid for the equipment and materials. The market component is based on estimated sales value for similar equipment and materials at the end of each period. At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, inventory consisted of the following (in thousands):



	September 30,		December 31,
	2018		2017
Oil – carried at cost	$	541	$	436
Equipment and materials – carried at market		105		105
Total inventory	$	646	$	541

Full Cost Method Of Accounting

Full Cost Method of Accounting

The Company follows the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas property acquisition, exploration, and development activities. Under this method, all costs incurred in connection with acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and gas reserves are capitalized. Capitalized costs include lease acquisitions, seismic related costs, certain internal exploration costs, drilling, completion, and estimated asset retirement costs. The capitalized costs of oil and gas properties, plus estimated future development costs relating to proved reserves and estimated asset retirement costs which are not already included net of estimated salvage value, are amortized on the unit-of-production method based on total proved reserves. The Company has determined its reserves based upon reserve reports provided by LaRoche Petroleum Consultants Ltd. since 2009. The costs of unproved properties are excluded from amortization until the properties are evaluated, subject to an annual assessment of whether impairment has occurred. The Company had $0 in unevaluated properties as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017. Proceeds from the sale of oil and gas properties are accounted for as reductions to capitalized costs unless such sales cause a significant change in the relationship between costs and the estimated value of proved reserves, in which case a gain or loss is recognized.

At the end of each reporting period, the Company performs a “ceiling test” on the value of the net capitalized cost of oil and gas properties. This test compares the net capitalized cost (capitalized cost of oil and gas properties, net of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization and related deferred income taxes) to the present value of estimated future net revenues from oil and gas properties using an average price (arithmetic average of the beginning of month prices for the prior 12 months) and current cost discounted at 10% plus cost of properties not being amortized and the lower of cost or estimated fair value of unproven properties included in the cost being amortized (ceiling). If the net capitalized cost is greater than the ceiling, a write-down or impairment is required. A write-down of the carrying value of the asset is a non-cash charge that reduces earnings in the current period. Once incurred, a write-down may not be reversed in a later period. The Company did not record any impairment of its oil and gas properties during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and 2017.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consist of uncollateralized joint interest owner obligations due within 30 days of the invoice date, uncollateralized accrued revenues due under normal trade terms, generally requiring payment within 30 days of sales of oil and gas production and within 60 days of sales of produced electricity, and other miscellaneous receivables. No interest is charged on past-due balances. Payments made on accounts receivable are applied first to the earliest unpaid items. We review accounts receivable periodically and reduce the carrying amount by a valuation allowance that reflects our best estimate of the amount that may not be collectible. An allowance was recorded at September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017.

The following table sets forth information concerning the Company’s accounts receivable (in thousands):



	September 30,		December 31,
	2018		2017
Revenue	$	510	$	479
Tax		121		—
Joint interest		54		23
Other		24		29
Allowance for doubtful accounts		(14)		(14)
Total accounts receivable	$	695	$	517

At September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company recorded a tax related non-current receivable in the amounts of $121,000 and $242,000, respectively. At September 30, 2018, based upon its expected recovery, the Company reclassified $121,000 of this tax related non-current receivable as a current receivable. (See Note 3. Income Taxes)

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation with no effect on net income.